NV Kumeu River Cremant

95 POINTS

Jane Faulkner - Halliday Wine Companion

It was only a matter of time before this chardonnay specialist ventured down the sparkling route to make a blanc de blancs. This fizz, bottled July 2019 and disgorged July 2024 with a dosage 6 g/l, is excellent. A mid-straw gold and bright; complex with layers of flavour from lemon curd and lemon shortbread to choux pastry filled with frangipane. Plenty of fine bead. Flavours linger as the acidity ensures a long finish. Impressive.

94 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

As with all other Kumeu River wines, this is impeccably composed and elegantly expressed, showing nectarine, acacia, lemon peel and yeasty notes on the nose. The palate is superfine and beautifully weighted with creamy mouthfeel and elegant fruit intensity, wonderfully enhanced by subtle savoury nuances and perfectly pitched acidity. Very long and engaging, and hugely appealing. Grapes were hand harvested, whole bunch pressed, fermented using indigenous yeasts; then secondary fermentation in the bottle with 30 months on lees; disgorged by hand.

94 POINTS

Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review

Made from 60% chardonnay, 40% pinot noir with three years en tirage. Fresh, bright méthode in a bone-dry style with citrus, ginger, and baguette crust supported by steely, mouth-watering acidity.

93 POINTS

Jane Faulkner - Halliday Wine Companion

Some nuts and bolts for context: this is a 60/40% chardonnay/pinot noir blend, hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed; it goes through MLF and is fermented on lees for three years with 5g/l dosage. Bottled August 2020 and disgorged October 2023. No details as to the vintage base of this fizz but there’s some age – the colour is a straw gold and bright, yet refreshing and lively. Plenty of light, creamy mousse, some lemon and grapefruit pith, too, with flaky pastry and apple turnover yeasty goodness. Very appealing and while there’s a richness, this is reined-in by tight if perky acidity, finishing crisp and super dry. An excellent aperitif style.

93 POINTS

James Suckling

This is a fantastic sparkling wine with wonderful complexity of aromas of brioche, croissant, and subtle cooked apples, like apple tart. It’s medium-bodied and dry with lovely density and depth. Excellent length. Pure chardonnay. Very limited production. Three and a half years on the yeast. 6 grams of dosage.

93 POINTS

James Suckling

A fresh and minerally sparkling wine with with sliced apple, brioche and lemon character. Medium-bodied, creamy and intense. Bread dough at the end. Tight and bright. 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir. Three years on the lees. Disgorged in October 2023. 5 g/L residual sugar.

93 POINTS

Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review

Mostly from the 2016 vintage with 10% reserve wine. It was bottled in December 2016 and disgorged in February 2021. Rich, creamy wine with citrus, green apple, and fresh bready yeast lees characters. Mouth-wateringly dry with a tiny stab of bitterness on the finish

92 POINTS

Mike Bennie - The Wine Front

Kumeu has aspired to produce sparkling for a long time and decided to work with a plot that formally ended up in rose wines. This wine was disgorged May 2016. It’s 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir. Fruit comes from the 2012 harvest, essentially. Complex perfume, struck flint, smoke, green apple, grapefruit and mixed peel. Regency scents. Has a firm, refreshing, vigorous feel, bright bead, light honey/toast character, but complexity is inherent. It feels high quality, and  though quite intense, very drinkable.